Key West Pottery

Like many nerdy art history loving sculptor people, I went through a period of being thematically preoccupied with my own weirdo version of “the classical nude” for a good solid year or two. This was a while back…

It’s just such a fun way to work…absolutely timeless and acceptable but still a little cheeky and provocative.

Sooo many layers of our humanity can be expressed within this artistic vehicle… no wonder it’s such frequently visited theme.

My original artistic training was in figure painting… so the jump to sculpture was a natural extrapolation using my basic familiarity with “the figure” as a foundation, difficult but very fun.

This one is from right before the pandemic and was the last in a series of 5 or 6 similar artworks I made in that period— and no, they were not all female.

I made these with all wheel thrown and altered pots joined together and fit onto a steel armature, round about life size.

Not sure why I ever departed from the idea, but it’s been a few years now… maybe I’ll revisit one day :-)

This particular sculpture took up residence at my own estate a few years back… She has moved from various spaces in the garden, to the pool, next to the Jacuzzi, etc etc…

Every time she finds a new space there is an ensuing month-long jump, scare scenario as we get acquainted with her presence from inside the house 😂

Anyhow…from the archives—

“Bon Vivant”
Glazed Stoneware, Steel, Concrete

2019

Hope you’re well.

Peace peace peace peace

🐅AR

Flix from recently— Good living.

Have a terrific weekend.

🐅AR

Life in abundance…
With a little good fortune,
hard work flowers into satisfaction.

Who is planning to come for a visit soon?

Happy satta day

🐅AR





First 3 flicks by the amazing Tamara Alvarez

Pulled a few of these pots with this frangipani inspired motif from out the fire today.

I really love the way they’ve turned out— especially this one.

have started experimenting with underglaze crayons… And I’m so pleasantly surprised with the effect and result. there is some color burnout, of course… But the amount of detail retained is pretty satisfying.

Wondering, do any of you pottery heads out there have experience with making under glaze crayons?

🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️

If so, let’s connect.

I would love to hear about your process, any tricks or tips you might have.

this is a fairly compelling development in the studio for me. I’m all thirsty for it and stuff…good feeling.

Peace peace peace peace

🐅AR

Everyone loves the little before and after/ how it was made type of thing we got here.

That’s my business, connecting the dots.

Dirt poet in full effect on this one; splashy color scribble party with plenty of poise inna modern assemblage .

Some new techniques and tools in the glaze process, I’m so glad it went to plan.

(I do like it. How about you?)

Brand new and available. Ping me for details.

Peace peace peace peace

AR

The amazing part of my job is that I’m allowed to take something that I drew on the back of a dang napkin and extrapolate and iterate and try to make it real.

Some loose ass concept inspired by a set of colors, or something totally passing and forgettable.

But, with each step the IMmaterial idea becomes a little bit more refined and permanent.

Pretty soon we are making IN material…throwing, sculpting, glazing, firing and then we are fitting and bolting and drilling and installing.

After that we just admire and give it away.

Stopping by every few days.. weeks … months … few years… special occasions… with friends… snapshots with growing boys… and a changing self..

Fun to see these things hardly changed at all through a small arc of time

This one from back in 2018 I believe, at The Reach Key West in Key West.

Organizing the archives and remembering the piece fondly… happy to recognize that other people are too.

I do like that.

Peace peace peace
🐅AR

Adam Russell masquerades as a painter… In 20 slides.

Getting organized, getting organized… As mentioned multiple times recently, the archives are getting all shook up.

Getting organized.

It’s so fun to revisit artworks that have since traveled to far off places.

Like seeing old friends, of course.

Here’s a small smattering of paintings, the oldest of which is probably from 2023.

I spend a few days each week in the painting studio, I actually take it just as seriously as my ceramics… But it’s a much longer process for me… different but related pursuit.

I work in all variety of sizes and materials, but it’s always the “major works“ that stand out to me. more size, bit more gesture, a bigger impact. I just feel that, you know?

I would put most of these paintings into that category, a few exceptions.

all of these have been collected by others with the exception of slides 4, 8, and 15 (available)

Fun to look at them as a group.

so, let’s make this an artistic exercise…

What’s your critique?
How did these make you feel?
All fun games or can you feel some depth?
Is there anything challenging?
what does it remind you of?

Tell me ….

Peace peace peace
🐅AR